A spokesperson for Libya's powerful paramilitary based in the eastern city of Benghazi says its troops are launching an operation "to cleanse" the country's south of Islamic militants and criminals. Ahmed al-Mesmari of the self-styled Libyan National Army that answers to Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter told reporters on Tuesday that the operations aims to "eliminate
82

Soldiers in Gabon have appeared on state television saying they have launched a coup in the west African country. Early Monday an army soldier, flanked by two others holding guns, read out a statement saying the military has seized control of the government "to restore democracy" to the country.
Residents of the capital, Libreville, report that military
35

Richard Overton, a World War II veteran who was America's oldest man, has died at the age of 112. Overton, who lived in Austin, Texas, died on Thursday at a rehabilitation home, his cousin, Volma Overton Jr, told the Austin-American Statesman.
He had been hospitalised earlier this month with pneumonia, the newspaper said.
Overton's longevity and his status
46

A notorious Democratic Republic of Congo militia chief whose men have been accused of systematic rapes has been arrested, the army said on Friday. Isaac Chirambiza was seized on Tuesday with three of his men in a military operation in South Kivu province, regional spokesperson Captain Dieudonne Kasereka told AFP.
One soldier died in the operation, which
29

An Ethiopian court has jailed 66 soldiers over a rare protest in the capital in October demanding better pay, state media reported on Saturday. The Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) reported that the soldiers would be jailed from five to 14 years each.
In October, hundreds of elite soldiers staged a protest in Addis Ababa over "inadequate" salary
38

South Africa remains committed to normalising diplomatic relations with Rwanda, but insulting Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu isn't helping the cause as it only serves as a distraction. This was the message from Sisulu's spokesperson, Ndivhuwo Mabaya, as relations between South Africa and Rwanda soured after insults
43

Madagascar presidential hopeful Marc Ravalomanana has said he is confident of closing the gap for a second round victory over his rival who narrowly beat him in the first leg of presidential polls. Andry Rajoelina got 39.23% of votes and Ravalomanana 35.35% in last month's poll, according to final results, setting up the pair for a close contest in the December
60

Zimbabwean opposition leader Nelson Chamisa is reportedly now expected to appear before the Kgalema Motlanthe commission probing the August 1 post-election violence on Monday. According to New Zimbabwe.com, the Movement for Democratic Change leader had previously been expected to appear before the commission this week, but he failed to show up.
Several
54

Democratic Republic of Congo's army spokesperson says rebels have burned homes and a car in a neighbourhood in the east of the country where UN peacekeeping forces have a base. The attack late on Friday into Saturday comes days after eight UN peacekeepers and at least 12 Congolese soldiers were killed in a joint military operation against the Allied
39

Zimbabwean opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has reportedly called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga to appear before a commission probing the August 1 military crackdown that killed six people. Armed soldiers were deployed in the capital Harare, to suppress a protest against delays in announcing results of the country's
40